As can be seen by looking at this site, there hasn’t really been much in the way of activity for some time. The reason why was life in and of itself. It happens. I won’t go into details, but I had to take a break from the site.

While I was thinking about finding ways to revive the site yet again, something occurred to me.

I wasn’t having fun with it. Combine that with the fact that we’re in a political environment in which we aren’t as willing to think outside the box, and we have what’s called a no win situation.

Then we have individuals who are Revolution for Sale®.

The funny thing is, there are plenty of things to hit a certain radio talk show host in the head with, yet people are going with things that are so weak that it makes me virtually face palm and head desk myself. There are legitimate things that can be used to expose this individual for the person he really is.

Case in point:

I can try to point these things out, but the audience may not be in the mood to listen, and who can blame them? We’re in an environment where we’ve been yelling at each other for so long that we can’t see the forest from the trees.

The perspective of there only being things that are Black and White is what has been hurting us more than anything, and I don’t want to be in that environment at the moment.

I want to have fun again, and give people something to smile about.

What better way to do that than to do something that is actually fun? That is why I started RetroX86. I have been looking at the history of personal computers for some time, and was excited for the first time for some time.

So this isn’t goodbye or see you later.

I’m just setting this site aside for the time being. You’ll still be able to access past content, including the podcasts and magazine issues. The part that said, “Entertain Yourself….” is something I take seriously.

If your heart isn’t in it, don’t do it. My heart is somewhere else at the moment, so I will be doing that.

He was permanently banned from Magic the Gathering events and Magic the Gathering Online.

Update: TheQuartering YouTube Channel has been shutdown. Hambly is still uploading to his Unsleeved Media Channel, though there is no telling if that will be next.

At the beginning of December 2017, Jeremy Hambly received a lifetime DCI ban from Wizards of the Coast for alleged harassment according to Kotaku’s Adam Wells. The DCI is a sanctioning body for Magic: The Gathering and other collectible trading card games.

Hambly’s entire Magic the Gathering Online collection was also seized.

Things took an interesting turn however when a guest post on Niche Gamer revealed that the situation wasn’t so cut and dry.

Lou Colagiovanni brings to light possible double standards on the part of those who were irritated by Hambly’s words in the past. Examples include mentioning Lucas Florent’s lifetime ban over threatening a WoTC employee only to have it lifted months later as well as Twitter user The Mana Leek calling for the removal of toxicity in the MTG community while utilizing harsh and negative commentary in other venues.

Though considered controversial, Hambly does have his supporters.

There is a Change.org petition asking Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro to reinstate both him and Travis Woo, another controversial figure. The petition is currently shy of 17,000.

As a result of the ban, an interesting development has taken place as well.

A proverbial Pandora’s box may have been inadvertently opened with accusations of misconduct on the part of WoTC and Hasbro staff. Included among those allegations are claims of game judges being convicted of possession of child pornography and in some cases, sexual misconduct against minors.

Wells’s Kotaku piece mentions none of this.

This wouldn’t be the first time that such accusations have been levied against those participating in particular niches. Ed Kramer, co-founder of DragonCon, is another prominent example. Finding such things in popular culture isn’t new, and only time will tell if anything results from the videos published on Hambly’s TheQuartering YouTube Channel.

He was reported to law enforcement for posting pictures of Hambly’s house and his wife.Another twitter user also had some not so kind things to say.More inflammatory commentary.They also claim to be what others fear….Clearly, they are not a fan of Hambly’s.

Versailles, Missouri based radio talk show host Joyce Riley will no longer be able to host The Power Hour radio broadcast. According to their official Facebook Fan Page:

It is with the greatest of sadness that we deliver to you today the heartbreaking news of the death of our friend and fellow patriot Joyce Riley. Joyce died peacefully on June 25, 2017.
Sent with love and remembrance,
The Power Hour

Of course Naomi retained her Smackdown Women’s Championship. The Uso’s retained their tag titles by intentionally getting themselves counted out. Jinder Mahal also retained his title due to outside intereference.

However, the most interesting ending was when AJ Styles and Shinske Nakamura had one final confrontation at the end of the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Barron Corbin shook the two off the ladder before climbing up and unhooking the briefcase.

The interesting part is the fact that Corbin is a character that is allergic to nonsense.

He is no Hulk Hogan or other wholesome hero. He’s a midwestern, heavy metal, heavy hitter who never apologizes for it. It’s hard to argue with somebody who claims that abs don’t help when you get punched in the face.

A potential match between him and Jinder Mahal could prove to be interesting.

In the meantime, he is being built slowly. As a winner of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, he came out of obscurity and into the limelight. He could very well be the next star to silence entire audiences as he nonchalantly wins the championship when everyone least expects it.

Generic Pay Per View Event. Injuries and being concerned about the well being of WWE wrestlers is understandable, but the event didn’t live it up to the name.

Nevertheless, the ending was an appropriate swerve that will hopefully set up a dream match for the ages.

Samoa Joe will be facing Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title, and it should prove to be interesting. Though Joe’s moveset is reminiscent of an MMA/brawling style, Lesnar has actually competed in the UFC and won the heavyweight championship. Though he hasn’t competed in UFC or any other MMA promotion, Joe has trained with MMA fighters and is familiar with multiple forms of martial arts.

Having a dark horse face Lesnar may be a smart business decision.

The contrast in body types and styles could draw a lot of money, and hopefully the match ends in a draw or “unsatisfactory manner” in order for it to be an instant Summer Slam Classic. The match prospect is exciting, but Great Balls of Fire is just another generic sounding Pay Per View.

A bigger stage would be more suitable for these two opponents.

Either way, one can only imagine how Joe’s Muscle Buster and Coquina Clutch can hold up to Lesnar’s Kumara Lock and F-5. Though Lesnar may be the current mayor of Suplex City, the Samoan Submission Machine has been able to pull off some wicked suplexes of his own.

There are times when one possibly sees it coming, but it still comes off as a surprise. After years of seeing the usual suspects hold the WWE Championship, Jinder Mahal now holds the prestigious title.

This proves more than anything that the time has come for new champions to step up to the plate.

As this is being written, the rain has been pounding the pavement in spurts. One moment, it’s a calm flow of droplets. Then comes the rapid torrent.

This week’s roundup has been like that with its various ups and downs.

Unix

With Canonical’s announcement of switching back to GNOME for Ubuntu’s default desktop, the question of how they would go about it remains. OMG Ubuntu sheds some light on this and even links to a survey asking for input.

On the other hand, the idea of promoting from within has been brought up assuming interest in the field of software development exists.

Time will tell the tale on that one.

Overlooked Pop Culture

There’s a reason many are either captivated and/or aggravated by politics. Though campaigns may portray otherwise, things are rarely black and white. Nothing demonstrates this more than with the firing of James Comey by President Trump.

Though there has been suspicion as to the President’s actual motivations, Trevor Aaronson of The intercept reminds readers that Comey himself did some things during his tenure as the head of the FBI that were questionable at best.